2021 Japanese Super GT

[Japanese Samurai]

Team Studie (#7) BOB Suzuki handed over the position of team director to Takashi Kumagai.
https://note.com/studiebob/n/n368fa598da45

[Japanese Samurai]

According to Autosport web, weight handicap (system) will be renamed success weight (SW) by 2021 sporting regulations.
https://www.as-web.jp/supergt/668857?all

[TheNo1F1Fan]

A quick news round-up this week:
- Nissan announced their GT300 line-up. Just the same GT300 line-ups as last year, except for Tomei Sports, who have a new driver called Yudai Uchida. But no mention of Mardenborough in GT300 after he left the GT500 squad. https://www.motorsport.com/supergt/n...veira/5390625/
- #10 GAINER will switch to Dunlop after running Yokohama last year.
- Masataka Yanagida, who made his comeback last year, moves to Arnage Racing. https://twitter.com/geinou/status/1359787058781388800
- LEON Racing announced their 2021 line-up. Unchanged from last year. https://twitter.com/supergtworld/sta...22247120584704

[Japanese Samurai]

Update of aero parts of GT300 and GT300MC during season will be restricted by 2021 sporting regulations.

*The front diveplane can be updated twice during the season.
*The rear wing can be updated once during the season.
(In short, the HDF and LDF specs are allowed for the front diveplanes, while the Fuji spec is not allowed for the rear wing.)
*For the front diveplane and rear wing, the mix use of old and new parts is permitted during the season.
*In GT300, Only one type front/rear diffuser can be used.
*In GT300MC, since the front/rear diffuser are common parts, modification is not allowed at all.
https://www.as-web.jp/supergt/668534?all

[Japanese Samurai]

*Drawings and photos must be submitted for all updated parts at least one month before the first round.

[canaglia]

*You can run a GT500 team for 200 million yen (sponsor money) per season.

It's not that expensive afterall, 200m yen is 1.5m €

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

Masataka Bandoh (#19) explains Racing Project Bandoh's GT500 budgets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaE48ACPU3U

*You can run a GT500 team for 200 million yen (sponsor money) per season.
*However, GT500 team cannot be operated without the support of the manufacturer.
*Team Bandoh has been leased GT500 car from Toyota now.
*Team Bandoh has been leased two transporters from sponsor.
*Team Bandoh's GT500 car run a total of 20,000 kilometers per year.
*Team Bandoh has been provided with teamwear by sponsors.
*In Toyota squad, GT500 driver contract is made by the team and the driver, but the salary is basically paid by Toyota.
*The insurance premium for GT500 is 13 million yen per season, and the insurance benefits are max 60 million yen (​engine damage is not covered).
*GTA's incentive compensation for the team will be determined by the number of laps, positions and EBBRO's miniature car license fee.

That is very fascinating detailed information. We don't usually get that kind of openness from teams on their finances.

[TF110]

New BRZ looking good

[helgi]

Originally Posted by canaglia

*You can run a GT500 team for 200 million yen (sponsor money) per season.

It's not that expensive afterall, 200m yen is 1.5m €

Comparing to DTM season distance with about 9000 km (I suppose) and no proper testing or work with tyre manufacturers, I will never understand why it was that expensive. It had to be on the level of GT3 racing if to judge by SGT spendings.

[Baliwa]

Is there news from Motegi and Sugo? since both are near epicentrum of last night earthquake?

Only seen Ebisu badly damage

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by helgi

Comparing to DTM season distance with about 9000 km (I suppose) and no proper testing or work with tyre manufacturers, I will never understand why it was that expensive. It had to be on the level of GT3 racing if to judge by SGT spendings.

Yes, I thought a GT500 season was way more expensive, even an IMSA gtd program is more expensive according to that 200m yen figure despite being both domestic series.
I think DTM is conceptually different, in GT500, full work teams like nismo and tom's aside, teams are backed by manufacturer but it's up to them find sponsors, logistic, tires supplies etc... while in dtm I think it was the manufacturer who had most if not all the expenses since it was the one hiring teams to run their cars as bmw used to do with the same 3-4 teams from 2012 to 2020. Maybe only audi and mercedes had a slightly different approach with one full supported work team (abt/audi, hwa/mercedes) and other however supported third party teams. I guess also sponsorship, cars managment and logistic was up to audi, mercedes and bmw.

[Japanese Samurai]

I had posted this on 2015 Super GT thread.
This will explain SGT financial context.

Weekly Diamond magazine (business journal) reports Japanese motorsport from an economical perspective.

Economic circumstances of Team Tom's
*The sponsor income (per year): 1,000,000,000 yen.
(500,000,000 yen was paid by Petronas)
*The participation cost (per year) of each series is as follows.
-Super GT: 150,000,000 yen.
-Super Formula: 150,000,000 yen.
-Formula 3: 7-80,000,000 yen.
*Employment cost (about 40 staffs): 400,000,000 yen (per year)
*SGT vehicles are leasing without charge by Toyota.
(repair charges are each team's payment.)
*Bridgestone tire is supplied without charge.

[Japanese Samurai]

Participation costs here do not include GT500 vehicle leasing fees, driver fees, and fixed costs.

[Japanese Samurai]

Drago Corse announces 2021 SGT participation plan
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/00...000018338.html

Car number: #34
Car name: Yogibo NSX GT3
Entrant name: Yogibo Drago Corse
Team director: Misato Haga (ex. Direxiv motorsport)
Driver: Ryo Michigami, Shogo Mitsuyama
Tire: Yokohama
Main sponsor: Yogibo

[Japanese Samurai]

Originally Posted by Baliwa

Is there news from Motegi and Sugo? since both are near epicentrum of last night earthquake?

There are no damages of earthquake in SUGO and Motegi.
https://jp.motorsport.com/general/ne...quake/5403819/

[Japanese Samurai]

2021 sporting regulations revised point outline.
https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm38262255

*Tires to be replaced in the final race must be placed in a location that can be monitored by the officials. (Article 21.8)
*Tire manufacturers can bring in 6 sets of dry tires and 9 sets of wet tires.　（Article 21.13）
*The races that require tire replacement in the final race will be announced in bulletin. (Article 21.15) (Rd.1 Okayama and Rd.8 Fuji)

*Success weight system (Article 23): name change

*Participation vehicle GT300 class (Article 25): name change
GT300 vehicle, GT300MC vehicle and FIA-GT3 vehicle

*You can work in your own pit or work area while the red flag is posted. (Article 29)

*The GT300 class Q1 will be divided into two groups in all races. (Article 29.2))

*If the official qualifying is not possible, the grid may be decided by the time of the practice session, and the selection will be decided by the judging committee. (Article 29.3))

*Additional rules-7 GTA driving moral hazard system
4.2 Penalties for drivers
4 points: Prohibition of participation in official practice session (latter half of 1 hour) of the next race
6 points: Prohibition of participation in official practice of the next race (latter half of 1 hour) and demotion of 4 grids in the final race
8 points: Prohibition of official practice participation in the next race and demotion of 8 grids in the final race
10 points or more: More than refusal to participate in the next race

2021 SGT test and tire regulations
Off season test
*Participating vehicles are limited to 15 vehicles participating in SGT and 1 development vehicle from each manufacturer.
*Wet tire development tests are limited to two days (running time 8h * 2 days) until the first round, and tests on circuits where races are held within one month are not allowed (GT300 vehicles cannot participate in it).

About operation on FCY
*Regarding the operation of FCY, the flag posted from the observation post has the highest priority.
*The running speed will be limited to 80km/h from the time when the yellow flag is vibrated after the FCY board is posted.
*You cannot enter the pit lane between the time the FCY board is presented and the time it is released.

[Japanese Samurai]

2021 GT300/GT300MC tech regulations revised point outline

*The total capacity of fuel that can be installed in the vehicle is 120 liters or less. GTA may reduce the total capacity of the fuel tank with advance notice.

*The rear end position of the rear wing shall be 950 mm from the center of the latter shaft to the weight classification 1150 kg, and up to 1060 mm for 1200 kg or more.

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Both apr Racing liveries revealed. #31 goes back to blue.

[Baliwa]

Pacific Racing comeback after join force with D'Station?
https://twitter.com/pacificracing/st...34580912033792

[Baliwa]

talk about Pacific, they continue with Car Guy this year!
Still with #9 and now use 488 GT3!
https://www.as-web.jp/supergt/669894?all

[hvr777]

Originally Posted by Baliwa

talk about Pacific, they continue with Car Guy this year!
Still with #9 and now use 488 GT3!
https://www.as-web.jp/supergt/669894?all

which also means GT300 will have Ferrari again after 4 years. last time it was INGING X Arnage Racing who fielded a 488 GT3.

[TheNo1F1Fan]

The last time Ferrari were in GT300, they scored a podium. Anyway, here's their livery for this season.

[Baliwa]

turn out provisional line up and team for GT500 and GT300 out
Officially no D'station and X-works this year.

Was hoping D'station and X-Works stay tbh, but for X-Works with last year results that pretty abysmal understandable why they pull out

https://supergt.net/tandds/index/2021/gt300?ln=ja
https://supergt.net/tandds/index/2021/gt500

[Japanese Samurai]

And no Michelin in GT300.
Michelin's sustainable tire concept was not bad.
However, it was too ahead of its time.

[helgi]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

And no Michelin in GT300.
Michelin's sustainable tire concept was not bad.
However, it was too ahead of its time.

I've missed that bit of info. Is it possible to read about this concept somewhere? Thanks in advance!